Book Club Visits Franklin, Tennessee

‘The Greenfield Book Jackets’ recently visited the setting of the 2005 New York Times bestseller book, The Widow of the South near historic Franklin, Tennessee.   The book club members had chosen the book to read and discuss at one of their meetings this year.  Visiting the actual Carnton Plantation and Confederate cemetery really brought to life the characters written about in the book by Robert Hicks.  The home was built in 1826 and was used as a field hospital during the Civil War Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864.  Today the site includes the beautifully restored antebellum home, a recreated      1-acre 1847 garden, slave quarters, smokehouse, and adjacent cemetery.  The two-acre cemetery is the final burial place for nearly 1,500 Confederate soldiers killed at Franklin.  It is the nation’s largest private military cemetery.  

While in Franklin, the club members enjoyed lunch at Monell’s Restaurant.  Built in 1901, the building was originally the town jail.  The ladies reported that the food was absolutely wonderful.  Enjoying the outing were:  Harriet Drewry, Camille Essary, Bettye Legons, Cardelle McAdams, Faye Pitts, Dean Stroud, Brenda Witherspoon, and librarian Sandy Dowland.  Other members of the book club include: Linda Hearn, Tina Cantrell, and Virgie Warlick.  The monthly book club was organized in January 2007 and is sponsored by Dr. Nathan Porter Library.  

                                                 Enjoying lunch at Monell's Restaurant

 Book club members walk in the garden.              The back view of Carnton Plantation.

     The front view of Carnton Plantation.                Slave quarters still standing.

       Seven of the ten club members.